Overview
- Russia's space agency confirmed damage to several elements of the Baikonur launch complex following the Nov. 27 Soyuz MS-38 departure.
- The spacecraft carrying Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikayev, and NASA astronaut Chris Williams reached the International Space Station safely with no reported damage.
- Roscosmos said reserve equipment is available and pledged to restore the site in the shortest possible time, yet it has not released a detailed repair timeline.
- Specialist Russian blogs and other analysts contend the damage may be extensive and could pause future crewed launches, a claim not independently verified.
- Baikonur is described as Russia’s only operational site for human spaceflight, highlighting potential knock-on effects for Soyuz missions and ISS support.